Interactions between Crystalline and Amorphous Domains in Semicrystalline Polymers: Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Studies of the Brill Transition in Nylon 6,6

Structure of intermediate filament assembly in hair deduced from hydration studies using small-angle neutron scattering

Intermediate filaments (IFs) are ubiquitous in biological structures including hair. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) data from hydrated samples were used in this study to investigate the distribution of water in hair, and model the structure of the IF assembly. A main diffraction peak at a d-spacing of ∼90 Å, and two weaker reflections show that IFs are arranged in a ∼105 Å quasi-hexagonal lattice. Changes in the diffraction peaks show that only a small fraction of the water absorbed by hair enters between the IFs, and little water diffuses into the core of the IFs. The amount of water in the IF assembly increases rapidly up to 10% relative humidity (RH), and then slowly with further increase in RH. Most of the water appears to reside outside the IF assembly, in the voids and at the interfaces, and contribute to the central diffuse scattering. The IF assembly in the decuticled hair absorbs more water and is more ordered than that the native hair. This suggests that cuticle acts as a barrier, and might constrain the structure by compressing the cortex radially. Treatments with oils that are hydrophobic, heat treatment, and reduction of the S-S linkages that opens up the matrix by disulfide bond cleavage, all affect structure and water permeability. Coconut oil was found to impede hydration more than the soybean oil because of its ability to penetrate deeper into hair. A new model for the IF assembly that is sterically more favorable than the previous models is proposed.

Novel Polyamide 6,10 Variants Synthesized by Modified Interfacial Polymerization for Application as a Rate-Modulated Monolithic Drug Delivery System

The aim of this study was to explore and elucidate the possibility of employing an aliphatic polyamide 6,10 (PA 6,10) synthesized by a modified interfacial polymerization process as a novel rate-modulated monolithic matrix drug delivery system. A Plackett—Burman experimental design was used to synthesize 14 different PA 6,10 polymers using the interfacial polymerization process of synthesis comprising the monomers namely hexamethylenediamine and sebacoyl chloride and the solvents namely hexane (nonpolar phase) and deionized water (polar phase). This process was modified by variations in stoichiometry of monomers, volume ratios of solvents as well as solvent phase modification using cyclohexane and sodium hydroxide for the nonpolar and polar solvent phases, respectively. The micromechanical parameters of the newly synthesized PA 6,10 variants were elucidated in terms of the matrix resilience (MR), matrix hardness and deformation energy, in which case matrix hardness and deformation energy were expressed as second-order polynomial hydration rate constants. The effect of changes in pH of the hydration media on these parameters was also explored as part of the characterization process. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to correlate the effect of synthesis variables on the micromechanical behavior PA 6,10 and its subsequent ability to impact drug release. The micromechanical values revealed that all independent formulation variables had a significant influence on the responses. Furthermore, the applied statistical model was utilized in selecting a combination of reaction variables to produce optional physicomechanical properties. The MR was selected for optimization among other parameters since it had a prominent effect on matrix integrity as well as drug release. The one-way analysis of variance, comparison of experimental versus fitted data, the R2 and P-values as well as the Durbin—Watson statistic indices were used in ascertaining the accuracy of the model. The rate-modulating drug release ability of synthetic aliphatic PA 6,10 was explored to direct the optimization using a higher resolution Box—Behnken statistical design. Constraints were set to obtain levels of independent variables that optimized the physicomechanical properties and the mean dissolution time fixed at eight hours.

Evaluation of the impacts of formulation variables and excipients on the drug release dynamics of a polyamide 6,10-based monolithic matrix using mathematical tools

Drug release from hydrophilic matrices is regulated mainly by polymeric erosion, disentanglement, dissolution, swelling front movement, drug dissolution and diffusion through the polymeric matrix. These processes depend upon the interaction between the dissolution media, polymeric matrix and drug molecules, which can be significantly influenced by formulation variables and excipients. This study utilized mathematical parameters to evaluate the impacts of selected formulation variables and various excipients on the release performance of hydrophilic polyamide 6,10 (PA 6,10) monolithic matrix. Amitriptyline HCl and theophylline were employed as the high and low solubility model drugs, respectively. The incorporation of different excipient concentrations and changes in formulation components influenced the drug release dynamics as evidenced by computed mathematical quantities (t x%, MDT x%, f 1, f 2, k 1, k 2, and К F). The effects of excipients on drug release from the PA 6,10 monolithic matrix was further elucidated using static lattice atomistic simulations wherein the component energy refinements corroborates the in vitro and in silico experimental data. Consequently, the feasibility of modulating release kinetics of drug molecules from the novel PA 6,10 monolithic matrix was well suggested.

Crystal structures of n-alkane with three functional groups in the middle and at both ends

We synthesized a linear alkane, K35DA, with a main-chain carbon number n = 33 and three functional groups, a carbonyl group in the middle and carboxyl groups at both ends, and studied influences of the functional groups as well as chain length on morphologies of samples prepared by solution-grown and bulk crystallization methods (SG-K35DA and BK-K35DA) from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction, and IR absorption measurements. Data analyses reveal that at room temperature an orthorhombic crystal of type P2(1)2(1)2(1), together with a considerable amount of amorphous fraction, is predominantly realized in BK-K35DA due to the van der Waals force between neighboring long methylene sequences, whereas a monoclinic type of crystal belonging to the same space group (P2(1)/c) as reported for linear dicarboxylic acid crystals with odd carbon numbers is coexistent for SG-K35DA. The crystalline structures appear to be distorted with increasing temperature, as the dipole-dipole interaction between the carbonyl groups tends to be weakened, and both orthorhombic and monoclinic crystals undergo the solid-solid phase transition to the hexagonal crystalline structure at a temperature about 10 K below their respective T(m)s, which can be regarded as a new example of the Brill transition.